Op-Ed: Was the WSOP Wrong in Its Position Squelching Political Speech?

^{Justin Bonomo, seen here at the WSOP Paradise in the Bahamas before he made the final table, where he was told he had to remove his pro-Palestinian keffiyeh or be disqualified at the final table. (Image: WSOP)}

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In only its second year of existence, the World Series of Poker Paradise, which just wrapped up its two-week run at the Atlantis Paradise Island casino-resort in the Bahamas, has become one of the noteworthy stops on the international tournament poker circuit. By offering a $25,000 Super Main Event – and plopping a $50 million guarantee on top of it – the WSOP and its new owners, NSUS Group and GGPoker, ensured that this year’s tournament would draw the crème of the poker world. 

The 2024 WSOP Paradise should and will be remembered for the excellent poker. However, a decision made by WSOP officials became a major talking point that made headlines that take away from the high-level poker that was on show.

Justin Bonomo Pushes WSOP, Faces DQ Threat

As the $25,000 WSOP Paradise Main Event reached the final two tables of play, poker professional Justin Bonomo wore a keffiyeh, a shawl of Middle Eastern origin worn around the neck and shoulders. Bonomo referred to this on X as a political statement, and has made no bones about where he stands on the matter.

So, what is the problem with this? The WSOP, and by extension NSUS and GGPoker, says that Bonomo was making a political statement in violation of WSOP rules.

At issue is the WSOP rule regarding what is called “political advertising” at a televised final table. According to the WSOP Rulebook: 

“Host Properties reserve the right at all times to impose a ban on any apparel deemed objectionable by Host Properties, in its sole and absolute discretion. Host Properties reserve the right to refuse entry or continued participation in an Event to any Participant who does not comply with the aforementioned apparel rules.”

This did not sit well with Bonomo. “The WSOP informed me that I will be disqualified from the tournament if I don’t take my Keffiyeh off,” Bonomo wrote on X on Wednesday. 

A look at past WSOPs (under previous ownership) suggest their tournaments haven't always enforced a hard line on limiting attire. So was it appropriate for the WSOP to restrict Bonomo?  Some people on social media highlighted previous examples of arguably political speech that was allowed at WSOP tables:

Did Charity Tourney Broach WSOP Rules?

In Bonomo's post expressing ire over how the WSOP was enforcing its rules, he referenced a charity tournament being held days earlier at the Atlantis to benefit the widows and orphans of Israeli Defense Force members killed in Gaza. 

The $10,000 buy-in event was organized by Shalem, a Prague-based non-profit that includes the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization among recipients of its support. All proceeds went straight to the IDFWO, meaning funds went straight to the widows and orphans. 

Officially, the tournament was not run by the WSOP, nor was it televised or livestreamed on any of their channels. 

According to the Jerusalem Post, “The tournament was intentionally kept low-profile until the last minute. Organizers sought to focus attention on the cause rather than publicity in order to avoid anti-Israel protests, ensuring that the funds raised – and the event itself – were a genuine reflection of the community’s desire to give to those in need.”

The event drew 12 entries. Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu didn’t play but still donated to make the total amount raised $140,000. The top two finishers were the two founders of the Shalem fund, who both donated their winnings to the charity.

Political Fallout Inevitable

While this special tournament was not a WSOP event (and therefore not subject to WSOP rules), the political fallout from it shouldn't have been a surprise.

It wasn't the first time a WSOP event had to deal with dress codes. And it was hardly the first time wearing a keffiyeh would prove controversial, with schools in Berlin and even the United Arab Emirates banning the scarves.

While Bonomo removed his scarf to play on and would finish seventh at the final table (for $1.3 million), the brouhaha over the situation marred what was otherwise a pleasant time for all in the Bahamas. 

Sadly, even a WSOP stop in an idyllic Caribbean locale dubbed "Paradise" couldn't escape turmoil in the Middle East.

Editor’s Note: This op-ed has been updated to correct factual inaccuracies about the non-WSOP charity tournament. An earlier version misstated some details, which have since been clarified to reflect only verifiable and unbiased information. We regret the errors and any confusion they may have caused.